Chesterfield County Criminal Records

Chesterfield County criminal history records are maintained at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office at 9500 Courthouse Road in Chesterfield, Virginia. The county's Circuit Court, part of the 12th Judicial Circuit, keeps felony criminal case records going back to 1749, and the Chesterfield General District Court maintains misdemeanor and traffic case data. Online indexes are available 24/7 for criminal cases from 1990 to the present, making Chesterfield one of the most accessible counties in Virginia for public criminal record searches.

Chesterfield County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Chesterfield County Circuit Court is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The Clerk of Court is Hon. Amanda L. Pohl. The court has multiple judges, including the Presiding and Chief Judge Hon. Penney S. Azcarate, along with Hon. Patrick M. Blanch and Hon. Dontae L. Bugg, among others. Court convenes Monday through Thursday at 10:00 AM, with Criminal Motions on Fridays at 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Grand Juries meet on the 3rd Monday of every odd-numbered month.

The Circuit Court Clerk's Office is the administrative arm of the court and is responsible for more than 800 statutory duties. These include judicial and non-judicial functions such as maintaining criminal case records, land records dating from 1749 to the present, marriage licenses, concealed handgun permits, probate matters, and notary public commissions. Online indexes are available around the clock for Circuit Court criminal and civil case data from 1990 to the current date, and for land records going back to 1967. This is one of the more complete online records systems among Virginia counties.

The Record Room is on the ground floor of the main Courts Building. Copy fees are $0.50 per page, with certified copies available for an additional $2.00 per document. For more details, visit the Chesterfield Circuit Court Clerk page on the county website.

The Chesterfield Circuit Court page at vacourts.gov is shown below. This screenshot was taken from the Chesterfield Circuit Court official page on the Virginia Judiciary website.

The page lists court schedules, clerk contact details, and links to online case search tools for Chesterfield County criminal history records.

General District Court in Chesterfield County

The Chesterfield General District Court is part of the 12th Judicial District of Virginia. The Clerk of Court is Linda Josette McCollum-Moore. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Judges include Hon. Matthew Donald Nelson (Chief Judge), Hon. Curtis M. Hairston Jr., Hon. Shajuan Mason House, and Hon. Keith Nelson Hurley. Court policies include Protective Order Hearings at 10:45 AM Monday through Friday. The court maintains detailed docket schedules for different case types throughout the week.

This court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil matters under $25,000. Many Chesterfield County criminal cases begin here with a preliminary hearing before being certified to Circuit Court for felony trial. Records from the General District Court are searchable through the statewide online case system. Contact information and current schedules can be found on the Chesterfield General District Court page at vacourts.gov.

The Chesterfield General District Court page is shown in the screenshot below. This was taken from the Chesterfield General District Court page on the Virginia Judiciary website.

The General District Court page lists clerk and judge contact information and links to the online case search system for Chesterfield County misdemeanor and traffic criminal records.

Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office

The Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Karl S. Leonard and is located at 9500 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832 (Mailing: P.O. Box 940, Chesterfield, VA 23832-0001). Phone: 804-748-1261, Emergency: 911. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Sheriff's Office maintains the County Jail and provides security for the county courts. It also serves various legal papers throughout the county. Note that the Chesterfield County Police Department, a separate agency, handles most criminal investigations and traffic enforcement in the county.

Active warrants can be viewed online through the Sheriff's Office website at chesterfield.gov/sheriff. The Sheriff's Office provides a system for submitting commendations and concerns about employee conduct. For arrest records and jail information, contact the Sheriff's Office directly or visit the county website.

The Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office page is shown below. This screenshot was taken from the Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office page at chesterfield.gov.

The Sheriff's Office page has current contact details, active warrant information, and jail administration resources for Chesterfield County criminal history research.

Search Criminal History in Chesterfield County

Chesterfield County provides several paths for searching criminal history records online. The Circuit Court Clerk's office offers online indexes for criminal cases from 1990 to the present at chesterfield.gov. These indexes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and do not require a courthouse visit for basic case lookups. The court also accepts e-filing for civil cases and provides online access to land records.

For a broader statewide search, use the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System. This system searches Circuit Court criminal and civil cases across all Virginia counties, including Chesterfield. You can search by name or case number and see case status, hearing dates, and dispositions. For General District Court records, the Virginia General District Court Online Case Information System covers misdemeanor and traffic cases.

The Virginia Courts Case Information portal at vacourts.gov is a starting point for any court search. Chesterfield is one of the larger Virginia counties, so its records system is more developed than many rural courts. Prohibited items at the Chesterfield courthouse include mobile phones, smart watches, tablets, and other electronic devices, so plan accordingly if you visit in person. Remote appearances are available through telephone, Polycom, or WebEx with prior judicial approval.

Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks

For certified statewide criminal history record checks, submit a request to the Virginia State Police through the VSP Criminal Record Check portal. Use Form SP-167 and send it to the VSP's CARE office. A VSP record check covers all Virginia jurisdictions. Under Virginia Code section 19.2-389, criminal history data is restricted to authorized users, but court case records remain publicly accessible through court-run systems. The VSP check is the appropriate path if you need an official certified report that covers Chesterfield County and all other Virginia localities.

VADOC Inmate Locator

Use the Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Locator to search for people currently serving time in state correctional facilities after a felony conviction in Chesterfield County or elsewhere in Virginia. The tool shows current facility, projected release date, and basic status information. It does not include people held in the Chesterfield County Jail, which is managed by the Sheriff's Office. For local jail information, contact the Sheriff's Office at 804-748-1261.

Criminal Records Access in Chesterfield County

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act at Code of Virginia section 2.2-3700 guarantees residents and the media access to public records. Chesterfield County uses a Public Records Request Portal to manage FOIA submissions. The county FOIA Officer is Crystal Dabney, reachable at 804-748-1211. The county must respond within five working days. Types of records available include contracts, budget records, receipts and expenditures, real estate records, law enforcement records, building and planning records, and tax records.

Chesterfield County commonly withholds personnel records, attorney-client privileged communications, active criminal investigation records, and tax records. More information about the FOIA process and submitting requests is available at the Chesterfield County FOIA page. The county charges for actual costs incurred in responding to requests. For court records that are already publicly available, contact the Circuit Court Clerk's office at (804) 748-1241 rather than submitting a FOIA request.

The Chesterfield Circuit Court Clerk page screenshot below shows online access and fee information.

This screenshot was taken from the Chesterfield Circuit Court Clerk page at chesterfield.gov.

The Clerk's page explains online access to criminal and civil case indexes, copy fees, and other services available from the Chesterfield County Circuit Court Clerk's office.

Cities Near Chesterfield County

Chesterfield County borders several independent Virginia cities, each with its own court system for criminal records. Colonial Heights and Richmond are adjacent to Chesterfield County and handle criminal cases through their own city courts.

Nearby Counties

Chesterfield County borders several Virginia counties. Each has its own court system for criminal history records separate from Chesterfield's.